U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz is leading a group of 10 senators to introduce a new resolution that would designate April 2022 as “Preserving and Protecting Local News Month.”
The measure recognizes the critical role local media coverage played during the pandemic.
According to the measure, employment at news organizations dropped by 26% between 2008 and 2020.
Journalists reporting news on the radio dropped by 22% between 2004 and 2020.
More than 100 local newsrooms closed during the pandemic.
If passed, the resolution will affirm local news as an “essential function in the democracy of the United States.”
